The salvo of oil and gas regulatory bills in the Colorado State House voices concerns over drilling and is also an emerging legislative strategy.

Each bill addresses a particular concern – adequate inspections or perceived conflicts of interest at the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission – but together they form a plan.

“If there was one omnibus bill the oil and gas industry could count votes on just that on bill,” said State Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora. “This will create a conversation on a lot of issues.”

Two bills were introduced Monday by Rep. Mike Foote, D-Longmont, one raising the dollar penalties for violations of the state’s oil and gas rules and a second banning people paid by the oil and gas industry from serving on the oil and gas commission.

“Each of these issues deserves its own consideration,” Foote said. “Maybe you want to raise the penalties, but don’t want to change the commission.”

A bill introduced last week by State Sen. Matt Jones would require inspecting every gas and oil facility once a year and expanding the state’s inspection staff more than five-fold to do it.

Emilie Rusch covers retail and commercial real estate for The Post. A Wisconsin native and Mizzou graduate, she moved to Colorado in 2012. Before that, she worked at a small daily newspaper in South Dakota. It's the one with Mount Rushmore.